I was really happy to be able to start the year with an article in InterPlan, the international newsletter of the American Planning Association. In it, I wrote a reflection piece about the quality of life and connectivity that my husband and I experienced living in a small Bavarian village several years ago, largely due to the village train station and also well-planned local amenities.
The piece allowed me to revisit my nostalgia about this special chapter of our life, as well as reflect on how public transit options and opportunities connect to quality of life. Thank you, Sky Tallman, AICP, for this opportunity! Read here: https://planning-org-uploaded-media.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/InterPlan_Winter_25.pdf
In February, my first research chapter was published- ‘Exploring Warsaw Metro: Subterranean Solutions for Walkability in Cities’ in the Springer Nature book ‘Underground Spaces for Climate Resilience and Sustainability‘. Thank you Mahak Agrawal for the opportunity!
Link here: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-96-0547-7_3
The 1st season of the Sky Farm Island podcast was launched in February as well, for which I really enjoyed serving as host. Thank you Andrea Cayuela and Kay Vasey for the opportunity!
Listen to the episodes here: https://open.spotify.com/show/2c1F5M3tI2BQllL4C3SXAZ?si=EIxI5EdVSrKF5vhezS3XAg
The Driving Urban Transitions Partnership project CONIFER15 was also launched, for which my PhD supervisor Ewa Korcelli-Olejniczak and I went to Brussels and later in the year also attended a project meeting in Toruń. Our Institute is a core project partner, and my NGO Pedestrian Space is a cooperating partner. Thank you, Imre Keserű, Sara Tori, and Mobilise VUB for your project leadership and for welcoming us!
My article ‘An Interdisciplinary Approach for an Experiential Dimension of Future Underground Urbanism‘ was published in the Trialog 152/153: Subterranean Solutions for Climate Resilient Future.
Read more here: https://pedestrianspace.org/published-interdisciplinary-underground-urbanism/
I enjoyed attending and participating in the Urban Future 2025 conference in Łódź, especially as I had my daughter with me and she also participated in my panel talk!
Read more here: https://pedestrianspace.org/featured-at-urban-future-25/
An article I penned with Genevieve Mancuso, P.E. of Public Hygiene Lets Us Stay Human (PHLUSH), Urban public health and walkability: advocating for more inclusive toilets, was published in Cities & Health.
Access here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23748834.2025.2509714#d1e115
My first dissertation-related paper, ‘Researcher reflections from an urban lab: best practices and barriers of walkable urbanism via a 15-minute neighbourhood lens in Warsaw’, was published in Cities & Health. Thank you for your guidance, Marcus Grant!
Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23748834.2025.2508662
I began interviews for my ‘Pandemic Insights’ research. Thank you to all interviewees who took time for this!
Read more about the project: https://pedestrianspace.org/pandemic-insights-community-mobility-space/
I really enjoyed participating in the Kongres Nowej Mobilności | New Mobility Congress in Katowice. Thank you PSNM – We drive new mobility!
Read more here:
https://pedestrianspace.org/new-mobility-congress-2025-panel-talks/
I accepted a job as a ‘Native English’ teacher in the Polish city we moved to. This was a plot twist, but it’s also been a great way to engage with the community, and nice to be back in the classroom! I could envision one day designing a multi-generational community-engaged curriculum on sustainable urbanism via diverse subjects and lenses, and this role helps me develop those ideas too. Some ideas developing: https://pedestrianspace.org/category/curriculum/
The ‘Voices of Walkability’ project, established to elevate voices from around the world on issues of walking and walkability, was launched in October! Thank you for your wonderful collaboration and work together Radha RH and Ansila Thomas!
Link here: https://voicesofwalkability.substack.com/
In October, I also began hosting weekly English conversation clubs at American Corner Radom. Great fun- thank you, Urszula Malmon!
My commentary piece, ‘Toilet equity in transit: barriers and best practices from metro systems worldwide’ was recently published in Cities & Health journal.
Link here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23748834.2025.2573596
Editorial work continues on the Cities & Health special issue ‘Walkability and Mobility Justice: Planning for walkable, equitable & healthy communities across continents, countries & cultures’ which will be published in 2026! Thank you for the support and opportunity Hannah Arnett, Marcus Grant, Ilaria Geddes!
Work also continues on the Journal of Urbanism: International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability Special Issue on ‘Spatial, Environmental & Social Dimensions of the 15-Minute City’. Submissions open through February 2026! Thank you, Veronica Saud Casanova Dr Matthew Hardy, MVO, and Associate Professor Susan Parham, for the collaboration and opportunity. Read more here: https://think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issues/spatial-environmental-social-dimensions-15-minute-city/
Work also continues for the University of Vermont Press contributed volume ‘Walkability and Planetary Health: Resilience, Engagement, Education and Nature’. Thank you, Thomas Krause, for the opportunity!
Read more about it at the Planetary Health Alliance website.
Moving to Radom in 2025 has also been interesting, not only for personal reasons but also for some professional and urban research ones as well. Next month, with the support of local university students, we will host two interview sessions at a local senior center to begin interviews on memories of city spaces over decades and chapters of change. Grateful to all involved!
-Annika